‘Chop, chop. Get back to work’: What’s next for Centerville after school’s first basketball title

After defeating Westerville Central 43-42 in the Division I state final for the program’s first championship, it would be tempting to think about two banners one day hanging in the gym. Most of the team will be back next year.

People outside the program will focus on sophomore point guard Gabe Cupps. He scored 16 points and had three assists in the championship game. And juniors Tom House and Rich Rolf, who scored nine points apiece. House was the second-leading scorer in the Greater Western Ohio Conference this year, Rolf the best rebounder in the GWOC, and all three made first-team all-conference.

The Elks, though, also will tell you that defensive-minded sophomore starting guard Emmanuel Deng, 3-point shooting junior Quinn Hafner, defensive-minded junior forward Ryan Keifer and sophomore emergency point guard Kyle Kenney are just as important.

Starting forward Tre Johnson and backup wing Jayson Hayes will graduate. But when seven of the top nine come back, including the three best scorers, there is reason for optimism.

“It feels like all the work that I’ve put into this point, that we’ve put in, the whole team, breakfast clubs in the morning before school, shooting before practice, practice with the guys, all that work is paying off,” Gabe Cupps said.

Still, the word “repeat” will not be one they use.

“That’s not our goal,” Brook Cupps said. “Our goal is to maximize the group that we have. So, if that’s a state championship for this team that’s what it was. I have no idea what next year will bring.”

As Cupps has said repeatedly, the most significant goal is to get better every day. That goal was on display Monday morning when Rob Dement, Centerville’s athletic director, tweeted a photo of Gabe Cupps and House, on his aching knee, in the Centerville gym shooting. The Breakfast Club, as Cupps, House and Rolf call it, was back in session.

“We’re there every day,” Gabe Cupps said. “A couple other guys filter in and out, but we’re always there.”

At every key moment Sunday night, Cupps or one of his teammates was there when the team needed it most. Cupps was the early spark with eight points in the first quarter for a 15-11 lead. He didn’t hesitate to shoot when he made two 3-pointers, a pull-up jumper and even when he got one blocked.

“He did start off aggressive, and he’s a lot better when he plays that way with that edge to him,” Brook Cupps said.

After Central tied the score at 15-15 in the second quarter, Cupps, House and Rolf each scored for a 22-18 halftime lead. Teammates were staying even on the boards, taking care of the ball and not fouling, which turned out to be important at the end of the game.

“That’s what wins all these games when you’re at a high level,” Brook Cupps said. “People call them the other guys. They’re the most important pieces to the whole thing. You want Keifer to get that rebound, you want Tre to screen? Those are huge plays.”

Central made a run in the third quarter to take a 39-34 lead with 5:44 left. Cupps called timeout, and his team responded. House hit a 12-footer and scored in transition to cut the deficit to 39-38 a minute later. Rolf scored on a give-and-go from Cupps to take the lead for good at 40-39 with 3:11 left.

Then Hafner made the “other guy” shot of the game. With 2:34 left, his 3-pointer made the score 43-39.

“For Quinn to be so accepting and so embracing of his role, I think it represents everybody on our team,” Brook Cupps said. “Part of his role is to make open shots, and that’s all that was for him.”

Like the regional final victory over Cincinnati Moeller, the Elks had fouls to give in the final stretch. After a turnover, they fouled the Warhawks with 10 seconds left, seven seconds left and finally 2.3 seconds left.

After another timeout, the Warhawks inbounded from the baseline to Landon Tillman on the right side. He took a dribble toward the right corner and let a 3-point shot go over Rolf. Tillman had made four 3-pointers and scored 16 points, but he missed the final shot.

“It was a hard-fought game – we expected that,” Brook Cupps said. “It’s going to come down to a possession like that. We would have preferred to stay on offense during that possession. But for us and the way we do things, and the way stuff happens for us, that was the perfect ending to a state championship.”

Brook Cupps’ #chopchop message on Twitter emphasizes getting a little bit better at something every day. He’s not worried about managing the expectations for next season.

“We don’t care what they think,” he said. “If you’re not inside this, you really don’t understand it. That’s what makes the alumni so special. They’ve been in this, and so they appreciate what it took to get here. We love our fans, we love the people that care about the program, but in reality, it’s us.”

Early in his postgame remarks, Cupps said: “Very grateful for these guys and to maximize our days together. That’s what I think the most of.”

So, April 20, when he can be with his guys again as a team, is circled on his calendar. And he knows what that means:

“Get better. Chop, chop. Get back to work. Do what we do.”